


so close yet so far

by orphan_account



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Other, Reggie needs a hug, This is up and down, and alex, and mentions of their death, hug sunset curve pls, im back lmao, just a peak at luke’s mind, mitch caleb and emily are only briefly mentioned, so does luke, sorry if there’s grammar mistakes my keyboard was being slow, there’s cussing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27159509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: luke was always so optimistic and happy in his lifetime, even if his parents didn’t believe in him, after he dies he thinks they’re right for a while, until he’s given a chance to live his dreams again, he takes that chance, and all the emotions that come with it. death was just an obstacle and now nothing would get in his way, until something does.
Relationships: Alex & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie, Caleb Covington & Luke Patterson, Julie Molina & Luke Patterson, Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Kudos: 22





	so close yet so far

**Author's Note:**

> hey!! i’m back lmaoo i was busy w stan twitter rather than writing and got into other shit, i tried to write but everytime was a dead end, this time wasn’t though lmao,, anyways enjoy this ppl i personally rly like it (also the title sucks i’ll probably change it)

luke was never the type to be down in the dumps or negative, he was always optimistic and happy and had dreams. he wasn’t anything like his family who believed there was no room for making dreams real, that by the time you make those dreams real that life would catch up to you and make you trip and fall, they were the type that believed life was strictly grow up, get a mediocre job that you hate, continue the cycle by having a kid, teaching them this cycle, and live an overall boring life. his parents were unsuccessful with making him go through with this cycle.

in fact he was the exact opposite of them and their bland beliefs and they hated it, they would constantly tell him how stupid his dream of having a band was, that he would never make it in life by going through with something as stupid as a band.

he knew it would all be worth it though, that one day the cheering crowds, the adrenaline, the lights that would shine bright on his face, and the applauds when the show was over would all make it worth it, that this was just the beginning to a successful future, a future where he was happy with his best friends, and their band, and they were stars, and he would be truly happy unlike the people in his family who only said they were happy to make it look like the cycle worked, that you could be happy and live a totally bland and flavorless life at the same time. he would be happy, the smiles would be real, the laughs would be breathtaking, and it would all be worth it.

things were just starting to look up before his mom and him got into the final fight, that was the straw that broke the camels back. she didn’t believe that wasting his time on music would add up to be anything, that it wasn’t worth it. he knew she was wrong, if she had heard them play and saw how good they were and how happy it made them she would know it was worth it but she always refused, because she refused to believe that life was anything beyond the sick cycle that she dedicated her life into following. their beliefs were far too different for either to change or even take a glance at the others and try to make sense of them, so instead of living with them and constantly being told that his dreams weren’t worth following, he left.  
he never went back again.   
not alive at least.

he stayed with friends and ended up staying exactly where julie lived now, he loved his studio, the lived for music and having a place dedicated to making and playing music all for himself was a dream come true. he wished his parents would’ve heard his music and listened to him when he said he would make it in life but he knew there was no changing their minds, so he continued to write music and play it with his friends, and over time their band became more well known, they would get gigs at more well known places, and people started to recognize them and luke knew his dream was becoming true. 

he finally felt sure he made the right choice by following his dreams when they got the biggest gig yet, the orpheum. things were finally looking up for them, for all of them. they were doing a sound check and that was when luke knew that all the hardships they went through were worth it, he finally felt the adrenaline and the music pumping through his veins on one of the most well known stages ever, just like he had once dreamed of feeling. he wished he had gotten to experience the actual performance that night. 

he wished that he had never went to get those hotdogs, if he had just stayed at the orpheum or went to another place to get food he would’ve gotten to feel what he wanted to for years. he spent what felt like an hour but in actuality was 25 years thinking of all the what if’s, and wishing that he had done so many other things or made other choices. 

hearing he had died before the break of their career had crushed him, he felt as though the world had turned upside down, knocking him off into a space of emptiness. he was so close to having everything he ever wanted, everything he ever dreamed of, he was so incredibly close to proving he could make it, but everything was taken from him and for a minute he felt like his parents were right, that he couldn’t make it, because he didn’t. clearly he wasn’t ever meant to make it and the thought that living through absolute hell sticking up for his dreams lead to a dead end made him angrier than he had ever been before. 

his friends had felt different ways about this, reggie tried to make it look like he was okay but luke knew deep down his best friend was hurting, a lot if reggie was the same person he was before he died. reggie knew luke and alex were beyond upset and wanted to be the calm one, to prove things would be okay, to prove that yes while their music wasn’t made to be their break to fame whilst living, this also happened for a reason and they just had to find that reason. the other only reason reggie was maintaining the calmness for so long was because of that tiny shred of hope that neither of his best friends had.

alex hadn’t been mad like luke was, he was upset, he didn’t get to truly live, he died before he was even an adult. he hated change, he now had to adapt to death, nobody should have to do that. he was upset because he had lost everything, even himself, lost 25 years because of a fucking hotdog, and now nobody could even see them besides each other and julie. he tried to be calm for his friends sakes but he couldn’t take it. 

when luke found out they could be heard again, and then following that learned they could be seen again when playing with julie, he was ecstatic, all of the regrets, the what if’s, the “my parents were right” thought, all left his mind. he had what he wanted back, being able to play. he didn’t know how or why he was able to do this, but he didn’t care, he could play again, he could follow his dreams again, he could achieve what he always wanted. 

so he did just that, with julie and his friends. they played, and then again, and then again, and it had felt so much different yet than before, not in a bad way though, maybe it was because of the being ghosts thing, or playing with julie rather than bobby, he didn’t know but he didn’t care because it make him feel alive again, and considering the fact that he was dead that made him feel amazing. 

he played any time he could, taking in every sound that came from his guitar.   
he had his life back, he didn’t want to waste it. he knew things were different though, his parents would never be able to know about him being back or playing, he couldn’t really prove them wrong anymore.

just as he began to adjust to what he learned was 2020, and all of its standards, things changed again. he learned bobby became trevor and trevor stole all of his music. he felt angry again, as angry as he was when he thought he would never play again, this person who he once considered his best friend had taken everything. he wanted revenge.

he got an opportunity and when he heard the words revenge he was sold on whatever mess he knew he was getting into. he was met with caleb who was manipulative and evil and ruined things for them again. and just like that he was losing everything again. 

he looked down on the stamp that was going to take everything away again and wished more than anything he would just go back to the black void, at least their death was quick. the jolts were agonizing and so was the amount of time it was taking for them to be taken to wherever it was they would be taken to after they just fade out of existence. telling julie hurt worse than the jolts, she had also just got music back in her life because of them and now they were being taken just like her mother had been taken the previous year. he was back to the what if’s and regrets again, wishing they would’ve just said no to willies deal, then he wouldn’t be hurting not only himself and his friends but julie too, and julie had already lost so much.

when he found out they had to play at the orpheum to cross over rather than just fading away he had mixed feelings, he was beyond happy to play at the place of his dreams, but he was angry and then sad because he had to leave his new life he built, the new one that consisted of him and his friends and julie and their music, he hated the thought of leaving all of this but he had to. 

they had played at the orpheum, it was just as exhilarating as they had thought. he expected something after they were done singing, anything, but all he was met with was the studio and jolts worse than ever. he realized they weren’t even going to pass over, they would die a painful death again. it broke him when julie walked in, and then it felt as though his heart had been stomped on when she sobbed and begged them to agree to caleb’s deal. he decided this was worse than dying the first time, at least then he hadn’t had to make a new life just to lose everything again.

but then he felt julies hug, and he felt the ground underneath him, and the air around him, he felt stronger. so did alex and reggie, when they were all together their bond was greater than the evil behind the stamp, and because of that it went away. he didn’t understand any of this and at them moment he didn’t really care, what matters is they can go on playing music, as the new group, as the new family they’ve formed.

and for the first time in a long time luke felt optimistic and cheerful again, he realized that his parents were in fact wrong, he was happy, despite being a ghost, and it was because of his dreams. he was the one in his family to end the cycle, and while they wouldn’t ever get to know that, he didn’t care. he had finally done what he promised himself he would do, and in the end that was the most important to him.


End file.
